


The Potential of Tomorrow

by Bellakitse



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Post episode 2, Romance, Spoilers for the first two episodes, overdose mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22356394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: TK tells Owen what went down between him and Carlos and then talks to Carlos about why he walked out.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand
Comments: 40
Kudos: 858





	The Potential of Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Post episode two scene I hope happens, in some shape or form. 🤞🤞  
> Love these two so much already.

TK Strand is back at the bar with the crew sipping on mineral water with lemon; everyone is sharing some of the funnier calls they've ever been on. His dad is telling them about the time they walked into a fire started by a man who had accidentally knocked over a candle while pleasuring himself, and how he couldn’t put it out because he had cuffed himself to his bed.

“He forgot to mention the leather chaps and mask,” TK adds with a half-smile, much to the amusement of the others. Paul starts talking about his time in Chicago, but TK isn’t listening anymore. His attention is at the door of the bar, where Carlos Reyes just walked in with some of his fellow cops.

Their eyes meet just for a second, and it’s the way it’s been like between them for the last week since Carlos tried to make him dinner before TK freaked out. The cop looks at him for a moment before looking away, his jaw clenched in a way that would signify annoyance if it weren’t for the hints of hurt TK spots in his pretty brown eyes, it makes TK feel guilty, and all he wants is to apologize to him, but like every time for the last five days, he freezes in place.

“You want to tell me what that’s about?” his dad asks softly, trying not to draw the attention of the rest of their team.

TK considers for a moment playing dumb, but his dad isn’t the man he is by being easily fooled. He has no doubt his father has clocked the tension between him and Carlos the moment it started.

Taking a sip of his mineral water, he wishes for a moment for a real drink. He dismisses the thought as soon as it enters his head. He’s doing better, every day gets a little easier, and he’s not going to derail his progress or disappoint his dad and himself again.

“We hooked up,” TK confesses, bracing himself for a lecture. When it doesn’t come, he sneaks a look at his dad. His expression is neutral as he seems to be waiting for the rest of the story.

TK sighs, he’s a grown man, and yet one look from his father has him spilling his guts each and every time. “We hooked up,” he reiterates. “Afterward, he called me again, and I thought it was another hookup. Instead, he made me dinner, he wants it to be more than just sleeping together. I kind of freaked out on him and was an asshole about it before I left.”

Owen lets out a soft hum, looking over at Carlos, who’s left his friends and is by the bar nursing a beer.

“You don’t feel anything deeper for him,” Owen concludes.

“No,” TK answers quickly, making a face when Owen raises an eyebrow at him. “Yes?” he says unsure, his shoulders dropping as he exhales.

“He’s gorgeous and _nice_ , and _it_ was awesome,” TK tells him meaningfully, a little embarrassed to be talking about his sex life with his dad. “But he wants more, and I’m such a fucking mess.”

“You’re _not_ a mess,” his dad says firmly, pulling a smile out of TK in spite of himself.

“He made a comment about it being a meal, not a marriage proposal, and I just walked out on him,” he says, nodding when his dad winces. “ _Yeah_.”

Owen rubs his back, and TK closes his eyes, it’s as comforting now as it was when he was a kid. “I don’t think he would have made that comment if he knew.”

TK swallows hard. “I know that,” he says quietly, looking over his shoulder at Carlos, catching his eye. The man holds his gaze for a few seconds before lowering it back to his beer. “I need to talk to him, don’t I?”

Owen smiles at him, his weathered face sympathetic. “I think so kid. Go, cowboy up.”

TK rolls his eyes as he stands. “Austin is a bad influence on you,” he says, walking away, his father’s laugh behind him. He starts to walk to the bar, the distance short, and he finds himself at Carlos’ side all too soon. He’s biting down on his lip as he watches him, but at least he’s not walking away, so TK takes that as a win.

“Hey,” he says softly, getting a nod in return. “Can we talk?”

Carlos raises an eyebrow at him, waiting him out.

“Outside, maybe?” TK questions holding his breath when Carlos seems to consider his request. He pulls out his wallet, placing a couple of bills on the counter before making an ‘after you’ gesture at him.

TK heads for the door, Carlos just a step behind him, his heart pounding hard in his chest, and on the way out, he catches his dad’s encouraging look, it settles him a bit.

The Austin night air is different from New York’s, fresher, earthier, it has something that calms TK down. He meant it when he told his dad that moving was a good idea.

Turning around, he faces Carlos, taking him in as the man has his hands in his pockets. Carlos is tall and broad, but right now he seems to be trying to curl in, and TK doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like the idea that his behavior could be the cause.

“I had a boyfriend in New York,” he starts, to which Carlos nods. TK takes a deep breath before continuing. He hasn’t talked about this with anyone but his dad and his therapist, something inside him though tells him he can trust Carlos with this. “I was going to propose the night he told me that he was in love with someone else and that he was leaving me for him.”

Carlos straightens up as he watches him speak, TK can tell the second his words from the other day come back to him by the way he closes his eyes in regret.

“TK, I’m-“ Carlos starts.

TK holds off his apology. “You didn’t know, and you were right. You wanted to have dinner and get to know me, it was just a meal, and it was nice.”

Carlos smiles at him, a little sad. “It’s just not what you’re looking for, I get it.”

“That’s not it. It’s-“ TK shakes his head, frustration coursing through him as he struggles with the words. “There’s more to the story.”

Carlos watches him, his expression is so gentle, and TK remembers how Carlos slowed down their kisses, touched him like something special. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“My therapist says that once I can talk about it, I’ll start to move on,” TK says with a hollow smile. “After Alex broke up with me, I did something I haven’t done in years,” he licks his lips nervously, looking down at his feet as he continues. “I used, and I ended up OD’ing. My dad found me, he and our team saved me.”

TK looks up to find a wrecked look on Carlos’ face. “Say something.”

Carlos lets out a deep breath trying to calm down, but TK still spots a slight shake in his left hand. “Are you okay?”

TK lets out a watery laugh. “ _No_ , not really. But I’m doing better than before.”

“Can I-“ Carlos pauses, he quickly runs his tongue over his bottom lip and TK feels a spark of heat go through him. “Can I touch you?”

TK lets out a breath that just deflates him, and he only takes a step before Carlos is hugging him tightly, he presses his face into the crook of his neck as Carlos cups the back of his head.

TK doesn’t know how long Carlos holds him, but the man doesn’t seem to care about time as he runs his hand up and down his back. When TK pulls back, looking at Carlos, all he finds in his expression is kindness and affection. TK keeps looking at him, the tenderness of their moment turns, charged with a different kind of tension than the one they have been having the last few days.

“I’m not ready for more,” he whispers. “Not yet.”

Carlos nods as he brings his hands up, cupping his face. “I understand.”

TK grabs at his wrists when Carlos starts to let him go. “But I want to be,” he says quickly, hopeful. “I want to be, and when I am, I want it to be with _you_.”

The smile Carlos gives him is bright and more beautiful than an Austin sunset, the kiss he lays at the crown of his head is breathtakingly gentle, and when he says. “I can wait.”

TK’s heart skips a beat.

**Author's Note:**

> come and talk to me about these two boys on[ tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)


End file.
